University officials consider creating December commencement ceremony
Students who graduate after Fall semester and have concerns about making it to commencement ceremonies may not have to worry much longer.
A few years from now, they may never be put in that situation again. Utah State University is considering starting a December commencement ceremony.
“We’ve just begun looking into it [December graduation ceremonies,]” said Sydney Peterson, assistant provost.
While nothing official has been decided yet, Peterson said, it is an idea that is being given some thought.
Peterson said that one of the benefits of having a December commencement is that students who graduate after the Summer or Fall semester would not have to wait until spring to attend a ceremony. Most students, Peterson said, take jobs away from Logan and are not able to return for the ceremony.
Trouble attending spring ceremonies for fall and summer graduates is also a problem with international students. Many of these students will go back to their native country and it is nearly impossible for them to return for a graduation ceremony months later, Peterson said.
Another benefit would be that the second commencement ceremony would relieve pressure from spring commencement, Peterson said. More than 900 students would have qualified to participate in a December ceremony had their been one.
The downsides of having a winter commencement ceremony include costs, weather, venue availability and calendar changes. Finding a place to hold the ceremony seems to be the biggest problem, Peterson said. Due to winter weather in Logan, the event must be held indoors, but finding somewhere large enough that is not being used is difficult.
Peterson said that one of the benefits of having a December commencement is that students who graduate after the Summer or Fall semester would not have to wait until spring to attend a ceremony. Most students, Peterson said, take jobs away from Logan and are not able to return for the ceremony.
Although Peterson said it is too early to tell specific details, one possibility being considered is a combination of the undergraduate and the graduate ceremonies.
Peterson said the December ceremony would be similar to the usual ceremony held in the spring, but on a smaller scale.
“There would be a speaker but we would probably have to forgo some of the other events,” she said.
Peterson said she is welcome to feedback from students about the idea. Students can e-mail suggestions or concerns to sydney.peterson@usu.edu.
-sophisan@cc.usu.edu